You can get involved in local politics and support zoning reform. Lookup strong towns, they probably have an initiative in your area.
Depending on where you live it may not be reasonable for you to ditch your car, but you can still change your mindset. You can buy an ebike and ride it whenever possible. You can advocate for bike infrastructure and zoning reform. Its a massive uphill battle but if you genuinely care about climate change you can add your voice to the cause.
This agenda of personal responsibility is exactly what keeps us from holding the true guilty parties accountable. This is like saying the abuser isn’t the abuser, because you can go to therapy or leave any time. But we can’t leave any time.
Advocating for zoning reform and reducing car dependency isn’t exactly the “agenda of personal responsibility”. We can make a difference in our communities and use that as a springboard to pressure politicians to make change.
It’s not one or the other, it’s both. Just because your reducing your climate impact is negligible doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and do it.
What is your objective, to hold people accountable or to save the planet?
Saying that individuals are responsible for the majority of climate emissions is not about shifting blame. Oil companies and bad luck (society picked fossil fuels before we really understood climate change) are to blame, but now we have to switch to damage control mode and that falls on individuals (and the government and corporations, but in a democratic free market society those both wrap back around to individuals anyways). It’s just the hand that we have been dealt.
This agenda of personal responsibility is exactly what keeps us from holding the true guilty parties accountable.
I think it’s the opposite. It’s the agenda of “it’s someone else’s problem” is what’s holding us back. It’s almost a classic case of the prisoners dilemma where individuals (both people and corporations) make the decision that is less favorable for everyone overall because they are afraid of what happens if they make the best decision and no one else does.
We all have a responsibility, and if we individuals all start making better choices, then some corporations will cater to that, and it can snowball.
It’s not an either or scenario. It’s if we want to get there fast, which we need to, everyone rushing there right now is the best…while waiting around for others to solve the problem will not get us there fast enough.
Personal responsibility was an ad campaign created by the oil industry. Every American could reduce their carbon footprint by 90% and we still wouldn’t make a dent in the carbon large corporations create.
I still actively reduce my footprint, but no matter what I do, until we hold corporations accountable it doesn’t fucking matter.
It’s not one or the other. It’s both. We all have to change, individuals and corporations. It’s the “well I don’t have to do anything” people that are a big part of the problem too.
I hate going out so I drive less than most people I know. It’s basically to work and back and I try to make any other stops for stores and such during that commute. Not sure what more I can do than that.
Ok, stopped going to work and am now fired. I guess I’ll starve to death in a few weeks. That should reduce my impact on the climate.
You can get involved in local politics and support zoning reform. Lookup strong towns, they probably have an initiative in your area.
Depending on where you live it may not be reasonable for you to ditch your car, but you can still change your mindset. You can buy an ebike and ride it whenever possible. You can advocate for bike infrastructure and zoning reform. Its a massive uphill battle but if you genuinely care about climate change you can add your voice to the cause.
Wow this makes a lot of assumptions about privilege and class/financial circumstances.
Not everyone lives in an area where bikes are feasible.
Do you try to minimize your reliance on driving a car or do you throw your hands up and claim that other people need to change, not you?
This agenda of personal responsibility is exactly what keeps us from holding the true guilty parties accountable. This is like saying the abuser isn’t the abuser, because you can go to therapy or leave any time. But we can’t leave any time.
Love,
A work from home vegan.
Advocating for zoning reform and reducing car dependency isn’t exactly the “agenda of personal responsibility”. We can make a difference in our communities and use that as a springboard to pressure politicians to make change.
It’s not one or the other, it’s both. Just because your reducing your climate impact is negligible doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and do it.
What is your objective, to hold people accountable or to save the planet? Saying that individuals are responsible for the majority of climate emissions is not about shifting blame. Oil companies and bad luck (society picked fossil fuels before we really understood climate change) are to blame, but now we have to switch to damage control mode and that falls on individuals (and the government and corporations, but in a democratic free market society those both wrap back around to individuals anyways). It’s just the hand that we have been dealt.
I think it’s the opposite. It’s the agenda of “it’s someone else’s problem” is what’s holding us back. It’s almost a classic case of the prisoners dilemma where individuals (both people and corporations) make the decision that is less favorable for everyone overall because they are afraid of what happens if they make the best decision and no one else does.
We all have a responsibility, and if we individuals all start making better choices, then some corporations will cater to that, and it can snowball.
It’s not an either or scenario. It’s if we want to get there fast, which we need to, everyone rushing there right now is the best…while waiting around for others to solve the problem will not get us there fast enough.
Personal responsibility was an ad campaign created by the oil industry. Every American could reduce their carbon footprint by 90% and we still wouldn’t make a dent in the carbon large corporations create.
I still actively reduce my footprint, but no matter what I do, until we hold corporations accountable it doesn’t fucking matter.
You guys act like those corporations sell if there is no demand.
Nah that isn’t true though. The biggest emitters are utilities and oil companies. Cut your fossil fuel usage and the rest follows from there.
It’s not one or the other. It’s both. We all have to change, individuals and corporations. It’s the “well I don’t have to do anything” people that are a big part of the problem too.
I hate going out so I drive less than most people I know. It’s basically to work and back and I try to make any other stops for stores and such during that commute. Not sure what more I can do than that.
Are you an Italian actor portraying a stereotypical Native American with a single tear running down your face, being paid by big oil?
“has different opinion than me. Must be paid actor” -super genius
I was referring to the “crying Indian” ad.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody